Penn State Football Thread 2020-2021 season

[slappybrown]

Who exactly is the Franklin upgrade? Assuming you want a proven winner rather than a hot OC/young HC at smaller program (like how you hired Franklin from Vandy), Urban Meyer and Chris Peterson are the only options I can think of who fit the bill that are realistic possibilities. And Peterson has never coached east of the Mississippi outside of a single season in 1992 as QB coach for....PITT (PETERSON TO SUPER PANTHERS RUMORS BEGIN).

Saban/Dabo are going nowhere. Is Kirby Smart—who wouldn’t leave UGA anyways—an upgrade on Franklin? Is Dan Mullen, who also would not leave Florida for UPS?

Seems to me Franklin has that job until he decides to leave. He’s just boned by being in the same division as OSU in a time when Bama/Clemson/OSU are simply operating at a different level than other elite programs.

That said, that was truly embarrassing yesterday. It wasn’t blowing a game because of cowardice, which is the only thing worse than stupidity, but still feel your guys (I do not feel for you guys).

[Orlando Penguin]

I think a realistic expectation for this program is that they compete at a similar level to OSU and the odd year that they beat them, then that's great. And then you beat all the other non-OSU teams on a regular basis, if not always. Michigan has sunk a bit and they don't play Wisky all that often so they're clearly the #2 team in the East. What drives us crazy is that EVERY year, there's a game that they lose because of either a lack of preparation (comes out flat, usually a noon road game) or because of some incredibly kindergarten-level game mismanagement. Some examples in the spoiler:

2015 home vs Michigan -- down 21-13 with about 8:00 left, they have 4th and goal at the 2 and instead of going for it, they elect to take the FG and thus, still need a TD if they can get the ball back. Instead, they gave up a TD on the next possession. That was Narduzzi-level. Little did we know...
2017 Rose Bowl vs. USC -- takes the foot off the gas after scoring on 6 straight possessions. Defense falls into a prevent shell and lets Darnold carve them up. This begins another concurrent theme.
2017 at Ohio State -- takes the foot off the gas after having a 15-point 4th quarter lead. Defense agains goes into a shell and gives up 3 scores to lose by 1.
2017 at Sparty -- the very next week, the defense fails to learn from their past week's mistake and allows another game-winning drive. This game also involved a long-ass rain delay but also involved zero offensive production in the 4th quarter.
2018 home vs OSU -- 12-point lead with 8:00 left and just needs to get one first down to really put them in trouble. They can't get it and then (surprise) the defense takes another break to give up the lead. Then, they inexplicably call a draw play on 4th and 6 right into Chase Young rather than keeping it in their mobile QB's hands.
2018 home vs Sparty -- stop me if you've heard this one before -- the defense is given a 17-14 lead late and not only can't they keep Sparty from kicking a game-tying FG, they allow them to get into the end zone with :12 left
2018 at Indiana -- this game they actually won but leading by 12 with about 6:00 left, these brainiacs decide to throw on 3 straight downs to not run clock and allow the Hoosiers to get the ball back. They go down the field and score with around a minute left and PSU has to cover a tricky onside kick to seal the win.

Oh I'm not done quite yet if you can believe it.

2019 Citrus Bowl vs Kentucky -- Apparently, 4 years isn't long enough to learn basic scoreboard math. Down 6 with 4:15 left, he decides from the 16 to kick a FG and hope his defense will get the ball back for him. I'm screaming in the stands that you're not guaranteed to get it back, you have to go for it. FG booms thru the uprights and the next time PSU sees the ball is backed up at their own 20 with about :15 left. Why? Cuz the defense couldn't stop Benny Snell.
2019 at Minnesota -- this one is from the poor preparation department. They had to know this battle of undefeateds was going to be the biggest game in the Twin Cities in 50+ years and that the atmosphere was going to be juiced and the Gophers were going to be fired up. Apparently, the DB's didn't get the memo and let Gopher receivers torch them left and right. The only reason why this game was even close was because Minny decided to turtle up on offense and hope the clock ran out. Had Jahan Dotson not tripped over the 20-yard line, they'd have gotten out of there a winner.

Whew, that's way too many instances of not learning from previous mistakes and letting it lead to more losses down the line. In 6 seasons, Franklin hasn't proven that he can fix these simple coaching mistakes, both scheme and management.

[King Colby]

That draw play in 2018 Ohio state game still makes me nauseous

[count2infinity]

There was a game this weekend?

Honestly, I completely forgot until I saw the facebook uproar over the final play.

Franklin is fine, but the fanbase needs to accept where this program currently is and will continue to be: fringe top level. Some years we're going to be fighting to get into the playoff scene, most years we aren't. What Franklin has built here after the fallout from the Sandusky stuff is good/great. I think expectations is the biggest thing.

[King Colby]

Theyre in that 5th to 15th range. I'm not sure how they get over the hump, but Franklin doesn't seem like the guy that gets them there.

[Orlando Penguin]

Noah Cain. Done. For. The. Season.

[RonnieFranchise]

Noah Cain. Done. For. The. Season.

Good Grief

Ricky Slade could have been starting Saturday vs Ohio State, instead he transferred to ODU of all places, which isn't even playing this year. He's no great shakes but IMO he's better than Ford and whatever 5th stringer is behind him.

[DigitalGypsy66]

Imma gonna need y'all to beat Ohio State. Thanks.

[count2infinity]

[shafnutz05]

Lions are getting their asses kicked tonight

[RonnieFranchise]

I really want to like Franklin but ish like going for it down 7-0 from your own 45 is just mind boggling.

[Sam's Drunk Dog]

This shaping up to be a blow out

[MrKennethTKangaroo]

I guess Bernie sanders is running the clock In happy valley and giving away free points to UPS

[Sam's Drunk Dog]

That catch by Dotson!

[Orlando Penguin]

Pretty typical showing against Ohio State. It doesn't matter who the coach is, there's always that tendency for the offense to go into a turtle mode either for an entire game or a pretty crucial quarter. Tonight, it was the entire first half. Why it takes a full half for the necessary adjustments to be made, I have no idea. Once they abandoned the RPO in the 2nd half and looked for quick stuff on the cross or over the middle, things worked out a lot better. So why did they wait so long? Couldn't they see that the quick slant to Dotson that they ran on the 2nd possession was a good road map? Instead, they're trying to figure out three different reads for Clifford when he barely has time to make one read. Against an average team, you might be able to get away with waiting til the 2nd half. Against an elite team like OSU, forget it.

Defensively, what a bunch of hot garbage. Lamont Wade should have stayed in the transfer portal a couple years ago. Every time there's a play over the middle that's wide open, it seems Wade was the one trailing it. Just when they had gotten a stop down 14-3, he gets a completely unnecessary holding penalty to extend the drive and then loses any sort of assignment on the tight end that's right in front of him on the easy TD pass. And then, here's the difference in the two coaching staffs -- Joey Porter gets hurt and after a couple of plays, OSU picks on his replacement and it's a bonus that Wade is the safety on that side. Wade is way too slow getting over the top and bam, long TD pass. Only chance PSU was going to have of winning this game tonight was if the defense could get a few stops. They failed early and often.

0-2...first time in conference since 2010 and overall since 2012. It's all just exhibition games from here on out.

[Sam's Drunk Dog]

I am so sick of the RPO and every play being from the shotgun.

[slappybrown]

H2P

#WeAre

[shafnutz05]

Clifford, and the rest of this team, sucks ass.

[shafnutz05]

No excuse for Clifford continuing to play. He flat out stinks.

Franklin should be gone after this season.

[RonnieFranchise]

Where’s the defense?

[Sam's Drunk Dog]

Embarrassing

[Orlando Penguin]

Never been more embarrassed to be a Penn State football fan*.

*on-field product only

[Sam's Drunk Dog]

Clifford should be glued to the bench for the rest of the game

[Sam's Drunk Dog]

Why didn't Franklin decline that penalty? Gave then an extra 5 yards on the punt so they could down it at the 1.

[RonnieFranchise]

Joke team. Cant get anywhere near Maryland at home, who can they beat?